This year the event is being held in the newly completed WISE building (Wales Institute of Sustainable Education) at the existing site of CAT (centre of alternative technology) There will be guides around the site by the architects and developers of the building to explain just how green the building is!

In addition to the opportunity to explore this highly successful building, there will be lots of talks and interest in the latest UK passivhaus developments. Including a  talk on the future of the Passivhaus Trust from its Director Chris Herring. We are greatly looking forward to the retro-fit talks, sharing knowledge for reducing energy bills for our existing homes is essential for the future of building.

The shop window display is changed on a regular basis with the intention of demonstrating different types of products that are available on the market. The shop also has numerous samples of natu

ral and more sustainable building fabric choice for renovation, refurb  or new build.

We welcome all passers by as well as clients and potential clients who come in to learn more about ecological building. Please feel free to call in at any time to talk about your project, even if it’s just replacing your windows and you want to know the various options or looking at renewables or going the whole hog and looking at building a new house or office!

Accordingly Parker Building Supplies has dramatically increased its investment in the provision of sustainable products and services this year. Its main focus has been on awareness via on-line marketing, supported by a company-wide training programme, to ensure that staff are prepared for dealing with eco-related questions from customers.

Parkers are Sussex and Kent’s leading independent builders merchants. The company has now grouped all of its eco endeavours under one banner; Green@Parkers. This new brand encompasses the provision of renewable and sustainable products, plus a recycling service, and promotes energy conserving logistics via its low-emission, fuel-efficient fleet of vehicles. These are the first big steps on the road towards a broader and more holistic sustainable offering, according to Parker’s financial director Stewart Pierce, who adds: “We’re looking to position ourselves as a solutions provider”.

One of the key drivers for this investment is the rapid growth of the ‘green’ market. The sector is expanding much faster than any other in the now recovering construction industry, and all indicators point towards an even greater surge of activity over the next 12 months. Ecotecture believe that sustainabilty is the key to continuing growth coming out of recession.

Another factor behind Parker’s endorsement of sustainable products and services is Pierce’s involvement in a BMF renewables ‘Think Tank’ which convened early this year. This involved discussions between merchants, suppliers and industry representatives which resulted in the BMF’s Sustainable Conference in January and the introduction of a renewables training course available through the BMF. 40 members of Parkers’ staff have already undergone two training days with the National Energy Foundation via the BMF. The company then brought in individual suppliers to carry out half day product training courses for the same personnel. As a result they now have a large group of people armed with an impressive degree of knowledge about a number of  sustainable products with a dedicated office for green issues within the organisation.

Parkers say that the biggest challenge is getting people to accept the changes necessary to take the sustainable offering to the next level. “We are still going to be selling bricks, blocks, timber, aggregates, bathrooms and kitchens etc, but this is a new and wide-ranging technology and we have to embrace it. We’ve done this in the recent past by means of the sophistication added to our IT systems and on-line selling for example. In addition to seeking out the right suppliers for its sustainable product lines, Pierce claims that Parkers have worked hard to identify other routes to market through construction companies with specific ‘green credentials’. One such, is a firm of specialist ‘eco-architects’. “They are a firm whose sole remit is to provide drawings and information for eco projects. They simply don’t undertake any other form of building or planning. We have produced posters which are now on display at their premises which advertise the link between our two companies”.

Parker’s green development started a few years ago with a simple web page which set out the company’s commitment to trading responsibly, reducing carbon emissions and working closely with the local community. The company then introduced a recycling service which enables them to handle a broad range of materials, from light bulbs, glass and electrical equipment; to wood, cardboard and plastics. The company invested in cardboard compactors at all locations and Pierce says that this has also proved to be a good community-minded investment. “It’s all about improving housekeeping and efficiencies within the business. From an eco viewpoint, it is very positive. It’s what we should all be doing, and it also makes good commercial sense.”

Parkers aim to be even more socially responsible and to continue to make improvements as the years goes on. Transport manager Graham Lillywhite says “the company’s fleet of vehicles uses Euro V engines, one of the most efficient engines available for commercial transport and we also regularly review our logistics to ensure that delivery routes are planned both efficiently and effectively, and that of course minimises emissions.

The other priority is to continue to improve the knowledge and advice available to customers via its sales staff. Pierce says that at the moment, staff are still having to answer a lot of general questions about sustainability.

“The general builder has customers who are asking him for sustainable products and he has to be up to speed with Building Regs and other legislation. He has to be aware, but he relies on the merchant to be a key source of information. We are making sure that when he comes in to ask questions our staff can pass on as much knowledge as possible – providing him with the solution”.  This new link with ecotecture means we have access to expert advice in the field, an advantage we intend to pass on to our customers.

Ecotecture has recently secured planning permission for a contemporary designed sunroom extension to a Grade II listed watermill.

The former mill, now a house, is Grade II listed and dates from circa the 18th Century. Located Nr. Petworth and along the banks of the River Rother the mill sits in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The Existing building is built with stone rubble in galleting with red brick dressings.

This project has been designed within many constraints, the mill is Grade II listed, sits in an AONB, whilst also sitting next to a river, which provides the risk of flooding. All of these factors had to be taken into account whilst designing a new extension. The sunroom has been designed to maintain and build upon the historic industrial nature of the existing building. Therefore the decision was taken to build the sunroom out of materials which not only embraced but enhanced this concept. The use of extensive glazing on all elevations allows the stonework and brick quoins of the existing mill to be glimpsed at through the new sunroom. A steel frame

is used to provide the structure, with the glazing installed between industrial steel sections. This steel framework sits on the top of a concrete retaining wall which has been design to provide flood protection.

The sunroom is linked to the existing mill by secret gutters formed in traditional lead work. The intentional step in the construction allows the new building for to remain visually independent from the existing building. Therefore allowing 21st century design to integrate with an existing 18th century building, thus ensuring the longevity and history of the building.

HRH the Prince of Wales officially opened the latest phase of Britain’s organic pioneers where its founder, Lawrence Woodwood OBE, personally gave the Prince advice to turn his beliefs about sustainable farming into a reality.

The Organic Research Centre at Elm Farm (ORC), near Newbury in Berkshire, is the UK ’s leading organisation for the research, development and advisory work in organic farming so it was fitting that on its 30th anniversary last week the Prince opened the latest phase of the redevelopment of the institution in the village of Hamstead Marshall.

Ecotecure led the way with regards the sustainable conversion and restoration of their farm building to create leading-edge conference and office facilities. These are central to the continuing success of the centre – lifting and inspiring those who work there as well as the thousands of visitors from around the globe.

The 17th Century barn and other farm buildings have been sustainably converted into office and work space for the body under a £900,000 project, using reclaimed materials and sustainable products such as wool for insulation. The work was masterminded by Ecotecture, leading ecological architects.

“Elm Farm Research Centre is a pioneering organic Farm”, explains Ecotecture’s Jo Saady who met the Prince at the Royal event. “Ecotecture was approached ten years ago with a view to converting the existing Grade II listed barn and outbuildings into an office/conference centre in an environmentally sustainable manner.”

Ecotecture had to pay special care and attention to the ecology of the site, including several species of bats which had to be allowed to retain their home in situ.

“The development is ‘carbon neutral’ and the scheme features several alternative means of reducing our impact on the Earth. These include a ground-source heat pump, solar hot water panels, using recycled and reclaimed building products, and exceedingly high levels of insulation in natural fabrics. The build process included very careful consideration of minimising waste in construction and transport sharing.

Jo had to leave her Sussex home at five each morning to reach the Newbury site in time for eight o’clock site meeting. “It’s really where the practise started”, she explains. “This was an important and innovative project and one I couldn’t manage on my own, so Jake and I went into partnership and Ecotecture ltd was born as we masterminded the scheme between us.”

We will still be sending out invites via email to our regular mailing list in addition to this service. We would welcome feedback on this.

http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/ecotecture.co.uk_4gh76lrcpet0jccop03cm4o1l8%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics

Please copy and paste this link into your calendar application.

Planning portal press release

We feel that this is a really important development. Our experience of planning departments shows that the system is over stretched and under funded. So change is vital for the system to maintain an effective and positive steering influence on the future of Britain built environment.

The removal of regional spatial strategies does have far reaching implications, as to whether these are positive or negative is yet to be seen. My viewpoint on the pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

Allowing local planning departments to choose what documentation is suitable for them to determine applications could remove excessive paperwork and free planners up to focus on the important things. Giving more credence to the local development framework of a district council gives departments a genuine chance to try and steer the architectural styles of towns and cities. This could lead to cohesive design and really nurture the sense of place that is more often than not missing from our towns.

Cons

As an architects practise the we are keen on the idea of unilateral planning documentation requirements. It should mean that we can standardise our approach making applications more easy to determine with a greater understanding of the proposal for the planners and general public. Allowing local development frameworks to develop there own specific brand of documentation requirements could make working in multiple districts unnecessarily difficult.

A greater concern would be that the district councils which are better funded in more affluent areas could become elitist in there decision making processes. The weight of the richer applicants could lead to unfair favouritism and potentially have the opposing effect on the less wealthy. This could occur in the form of a requirements for architectural styling, which may make it hard for individuals to afford to build.

We are very keen to get your thoughts on these matters please feel free to comment on our ideas.

The one item that disturbs us greatly is the term used “garden grabbing” this shows a complete lack of understanding in terms of sustainable development. Increasing intensification in intelligent and beautiful ways is the only way to avoid building on our green fields. Something the Ecotecture team feel very strongly about.

Contractor’s Kithurst Builders, with a proven track record in air tight buildings, are working in conjunction with ecotecture who are the project managers on this super energy efficient barn conversion. Building to an air tightness of 1m3/m2/hr @ 50 pascals pressure with proposed Mechancial Ventilation and Heat Recovery and air source heat pump the building will have very low energy bills in the future. Although windows are openable this system provides constant fresh air ensuring indoor air quality is always good, reducing risk of condensation, mould growth and pollutants.

Pictures here show the internal of the building with the RIW system applied for waterproofing walls and floor. Work has now started on the internal ballon timber frame which will act as the structural skeleton. Part 3 architect Jenny in the office spends a day a week on site working along side the Kithurst gang, as well as administrating the contract with Jo.

This blog is the first of many documenting the development of this radical and exciting project, watch this space.

Showing temporary sign!

Ecotecture have finally exchanged on their new premises, a sustainably located office with a shop front in Sussex Road,  Haywards Heath. Haywards Heath is a mainline train station between London and Brighton. We moved in last month from serviced offices in Bolney.

Now work collegues travel sustainably to work using the train from Brighton, Bus from Uckfield or cycling as Jenny, our Part 3 trainee architect does from Brighton! We also operate a car sharing system.

Director Jo Saady quite literally lives ‘over the shop’ so she stumbles down the stairs each morning to her desk. ‘It’s a fantastic change’ says fellow director Jake White: ‘We’re in the centre of town and looking forward to becoming a  hub for the exchange of sustainable information for the built environment’.

Over the next year we will be renovating the building to reduce its energy consumption too. For example the building currently has single glazing with slated leaky top vents, and solid brick skin walls. We plan to refurbish to upgrade the thermal envelope, whilst symultaneously living and working in the building too!